Celtic have completed a major summer squad overhaul with 11 senior arrivals and 20 departures confirmed after the transfer deadline. The club's business, reported by the Daily Record, includes a club-record signing and significant player sales as manager Martin O'Neill reshapes his group.
Celtic sit first in the Premiership with 12 points from four wins, scoring 11 goals and conceding just two. They hold a two-point lead over St Mirren ahead of their next home fixture against Hibernian on December 12. This strong start provides a platform for the new signings to integrate.
Who are Celtic's new signings?
Kasper Hogh's £11 million move from Bodo/Glimt sets a new club transfer record for Celtic. The defender is joined by fellow significant investments Haissem Hassan from Real Oviedo for £10 million and Camilo Duran from Qarabag for £4.5 million. Mika Baur arrived from Paderborn for £6.8 million, while Joel van ben Berg cost £3.4 million from PSV Eindhoven.
Experienced midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined on a free transfer after his contract expired. Jordan Lotomba also arrived without a fee from Feyenoord. The loan market brought in Oliver Sorensen from Parma, Sam Johnstone from Wolves, and Chelsea pair Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo. You can view the full updated roster on our squad page.
Which players have left Celtic?
The most lucrative departure saw Arne Engels join West Ham United for £22 million. Daizen Maeda moved to Ipswich Town for £10 million, while Reo Hatate's transfer to Burnley brought in £6.5 million. Kelechi Iheanacho left for Bursaspor after the club opted not to pick up his contract option.
Other permanent exits included Johnny Kenny to Preston North End for £3 million, Luis Palma to Lech Poznan for £3.5 million, and Hayato Inamura to FC Tokyo for £1.5 million. Stephen Welsh joined Swansea City on a free transfer. Veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel retired from football.
What about the loan departures?
Several players left Celtic on temporary deals. Michel-Ange Balikwisha joined Gent, Shin Yamada moved to OH Leuven, Paulo Bernardo went to Górnik Zabrze, and Adam Montgomery joined Livingston. These moves aim to provide regular first-team football for developing talents.
A group of players also departed after their loan or contract terms concluded. Julian Araujo, Tomas Cvancara, Marcelo Saracchi, Junior Adamu, Joel Mvuka, and Benjamin Arthur all returned to their parent clubs. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's previous deal had also expired before his new signing.
How does this affect the current squad?
Martin O'Neill acknowledged the scale of the rebuild required. "Celtic knew they need a rebuild this summer," the manager said. He added that "he had his work cut out for him" managing such extensive turnover. The changes create a significantly different group from last season.
Key defender Alistair Johnston remained at the club despite interest from Everton. His continuity is important for a backline integrating new faces like Hogh. The team's perfect league start, detailed on our standings page, shows the existing core remains strong. The manager must now blend old and new effectively.
Celtic's next challenge is a home match against seventh-placed Hibernian on December 12, 2026. The fixture list shows a busy period ahead, which you can track on our fixtures schedule.
